Forklift Accidents & How to Prevent Them

There’s no doubt that forklifts play an integral role in warehouse and logistics environments. Allowing us to transport heavy loads and equipment, this type of machinery enhances operational efficiency and proficiency. Despite being an indispensable component of the warehouse environment, they can be life-threatening if not operated properly.

On this page, we’ll take a look at forklift accident statistics, before explaining forklift safety tips and what you can do to prevent these accidents from happening.

Forklift Accident Statistics - UK

In both the UK and Sweden, figures show that forklifts account for more workplace accidents than any other machine. In the UK alone, forklift accidents result in 300 hospital visits a year, which, according to the British Safety Council, is five British workers a day. The most vulnerable are workplace walkers, who make up 57 per cent of those injured in the UK and 80 per cent of those injured in the USA. In their study, the British Safety Council claim that many of the accidents could have been avoided if companies had been more stringent in cordoning off walking and driving areas. The British Safety Council also found that 1,300 people are involved in forklift-related accidents every year in the UK.

Forklift Accident Statistics - USA

In the USA, where 85 people are killed and 34,900 are seriously injured in forklift accidents every year, the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) say that the number of accidents would drop by 70 per cent if companies were to provide more training programmes and adopt more stringent safety measures. In addition to the suffering that would be avoided, the overall cost of accidents would fall by USD 94.5 million a year.

Forklift Accident Statistics - Australia

Australia is one country that has steadily reduced the number of forklift accidents. In 2008, the number of seriously injured people was registered at 1,100. Seven years later it had dropped to 800. The country has invested heavily in the safety training of forklift drivers and other employees at workplaces where forklifts are used.

What is the Most Common Forklift Accident?

A report from the RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations) found that 43% of incidents involved collisions with a third party. Among these cases, 65 percent involved individuals performing unrelated tasks, 20 percent were co-workers, and 15 percent were delivery drivers. These statistics highlight just how important it is to take forklift safety seriously.

Forklift Safety Training Tips

Now that we have explored the dangers of forklifts, you might be wondering what you can do to prevent forklift accidents. Here are just a few ways in which you can stop forklift collisions from happening!

Forklift Training

One way in which you can prevent forklift accidents is by educating all staff and employees on how to properly use forklifts and the dangers that they pose. You can read more about forklift training tips and advice by taking a look at our interview with Peter Winding – a specialist in industrial safety training.

Forklift Barrier Protection

Installing forklift protection barriers is an effective way to protect equipment, workers and the warehouse’s infrastructure. These barriers can prevent forklifts from entering restricted areas, reducing the risk of collisions.

Speed Limits

When it comes to forklift accident prevention, adhering to the speed limit is paramount. If you’re a warehouse manager, then it’s recommended that you enforce strict speed limits within the workplace. This means that your employees will be encouraged to operate the forklift in a safe and controlled manner.

Prevent Accidents with Axelent’s Forklift Protection Barriers

Forklift accidents at work pose significant risks, but with the right measures, they can be effectively prevented. Axelent have an impact protection range containing products such as impact barriers, pedestrian barriers and column guards. As well as being incredibly durable and tough, they’re also renowned for being easy to install and assemble. Take a look at our forklift anti-collision systems here!

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